Wire-fence stay



(No Model.)

A. FRENCH. WIRE FENCE STAY.

No. 546,230. Patented Sept. 10,1895.

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By W

A TTOHNEYS.

UNITED STATES FFECEQ ALEXANDER FRENCH, OF ELIZABETHTOW'N, KENTUCKY.

WlRE-FENCE. STAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part er Letters Patent No. 546,230, dated September 1i), 1895.

Application filed April 11, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER FRENCH, residing at Elizabethtown, in the county of Hardin and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and Improved Stay Devices for W'ire Fences, of which the following is a speciiication.

My invention relates to wire stays for holding, stiffening, and supporting the wire strands between the posts and for holding them from sagging, and such invention primarily has for its object to provide a device of this character of a simple and inexpensive nature, which can be quickly and easily applied to permit of a free contraction or expansion of the wire.

Furthermore it has for its object to provide a brace or stay device which will serve to hold the fence level without requiring that the wires be drawn tight, thereby reducing the danger ofsuch wires snapping in cold weather.

My invention also has for its object to provide a sliding-hook stay, which can be applied with the hook end up or down, and a self-closing link member, which will serve to hold the several parts of the stay device in a proper position on the fencewire.

With other minor objects in View, my invention consists in the peculiar combination and novel arrangement of parts, such as will be first described in detail, and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wire fence with my improved stay devices applied. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the stay, the bottom wire being shown detached. Fig. 3 illustrates the upper hook or bail member before it is bent over the fencewire. Fig. 4 illustrates themanner in which it is secured thereon. Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the slide-hooks are secured on the wires. Fig. 6 illustrates one of the slide-hook members before it is bent over the fence-wire.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A A indicate the posts, which are placed a suitable distance apart; B, the fence-wires or run- 11ers; O,the stays, and D a supplemental bracewire, which is secured to the upper ends of the posts, as shown.

By reference to Fig. 2 the detailed construe Serial No. 545,350. (No model.)

tion and application of my improved stay will be best understood. The same is formed, preferably, of steel wire in sections, an upper-link member 0 and lower slide-hook members C 0 of which as many are used as there are strands or runners. The link member C is formed of a wire having curved or loop-like ends 0, which are bent in reverse directions to hang on the upper or brace-wire D and to support the top strand a, their ends 0 joining at a point about midway the strand a and bracewire D, whereby to form loops 0 0 in which the strand D and Wire a can have a limited vertical play.

So far as described it will be observed the member 0 forms a support for the several wire strands. These strands, it should be stated, are all held from-sagging, but to move freely upward, by the peculiar arrangement of the slide-hooks G which before they are applied to the strands are of a shape shown clearly in Fig. 6 and comprise a main or body portion 0 an eye or hook end 0 a laterallyprojected loop or eye portion 0 and a rightangle projecting portion c. The manner in which the said member is fitted on the strands is best illustrated in Fig. 5, by reference to which it will be seen the end 0 is wrapped about the strand a at one side of the upper link or hook member, while its long arm or body is bent down back of the wire a, which brings the loop 0 over the link or upper slidehook member and forms a lock-guide, which prevents such link or hook member from becoming detached from the strand; the lower or loop end 0 is then slipped over the next lower wire, and a second hook-slide C is applied thereto in a like manner.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen the wire strands are positively held from sagging, being supported from the supplemental or brace wire D, while they are held free for a vertical movement upward, to permit the wires being raised or drawn together when it is desired to pass between the same.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a wire fence, the combination with the horizontal wires, of a link member hung pendent from the uppermost of said wires and a portion wrapped about the wire, and at the lower end in a turned up or hook member, the body portion of one section being held to play in the eye portion of the other all arranged substantially as shown and described.

the horizontal 8.v The combination with the wire strands of two or more slide hook members having each a loop portion at the lower end adapted to slip over a lower strand, a body portion extended up to the next upper strand an outwardly bent eye projected over the said upper strand and having the upper end terminating in a coil wrapped about such upper strand, the body portion of one hook member being passed through the eye of the other member all arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

ALEXANDER FRENCH,

Witnesses:

HENRY CLAY STEPHENS, HENRY C. LANCASTER. 

